Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1887-03-05
THE FIGHT ON THE RAILWAY BILL
From the st. Louis Republican.

lfrOm Inc ST. Louis RepuDllcan.l
The railroad people and the news
papers which represent them are plead
ing for public sympathy on the repre-
sentation that the bill now pending in
the legislature will cripple the rail-
roads, drive capital out OF the state and
ruin our commerce if it becomes q
law. This prediction is vague in its
character, and ot one of the alarmists
either in the lobby or in the newspaper
can designate the specific provision by
which such dire results are to be
|lbeeeehs xasssntasssWh hen You point out
s. A at I 81 Sss ssss fsS z
ID HHhSnit6f thipteens ydasfs, .s& ST.. 90
far from being ruined, thAt slase evhss
prospered to an enviable degree und6f
them. and that the shippers OF Illinois
have been secured the advantage of
rates far below those exacted OF the
shippers in Missouri, these complain
ants have nothing to say. When you
call attention to the fact that the state
of Iowa has found it to its interest to
adopt the most stringent Of the regu-
lation provisions in vogue in the state
that boasts Chicago, you elicit Moth
ing but reiteration of the declaration
that law SO fraught with benefits to
the entire people in other states would
be communistic, ruinous and repressive
of all business enterprise in Missouri.
1t is not strange that this disadvantage
in the matter of argument on the facts
should prompt the railroad agents and
their allies to raise the general CRY
of communism and to resort to a sys-
tenn OF secret manipulation under
which the largest and most varied lob
| by is now at work in Jefferson City
that ever sought to swerve a Legislative
body from its course in this stale.
Among the legislative minority in
opposition to this bill there are some
who clearly and almost confessedly are
acting at the instance of the lobby
there are others who, without regard
to the merits OF the measure, believe
they are warranted in serving the ends
OF tue republican party by opposing
that which the democratic majority
favors; and there are still others who
have been, or are being misled by tht
queer sophistries that can but poorl,
stand the test of commitment to paper
Somewhat effective among these soph
istries, for instance, is the argunen
that the railroad commissioners nigh
be bribed and ,therefore,i it would not d,
to vest them with the power that tn,
bill proposes. The same argumen
would apply with even greater fore
against the election of q governor,
treasurer, an auditor or any other @
the many officers on whom we confe
large powers or important function!
The check which this bill provides O
the commissioners is far more effectiv
than 1t is on other officers of the state
Their action is public, and it affect
directly the selfish interest of the ship
per on the one side and the railroad O
the other. If either feels that that az
ton is unjust, a remedy is provided b
which speedy and ample redress ma
be given on proof of wrong. 1t rest
with the people to choose their com
missloners, and if there be alread
provisions for the impeachment an
punishment of these officers for ma
feasance, such provision should b
made in separate bill, such as d.
Newberry proposes.
The provision against pooling; tn
provision that Snooks, who does tn
Logging on Change and the "publi
opinion" business in the newspapers i
behalf of the railroads, shall not b
allowed such rates as to make it i'm
possible for any one in his line TO com
pete with him; the provision that tn
commissioners shall fix rates whic
must be accepted rs reasonable unit
decided otherwise by the courts, an,
the provision which gives such power
to the commissioners as will enabl
them to enforce the law, constitute tn
salient features of the bill. Is Their
anything ruinous or outrageous in an,
OF these propositions There is moth
ing in the bill to prevent any RAILROAD
i'll Missouri from making liberia
protit on its business, but that prof
must come from all alike. and not from
one citizen at the expense of another
There is nothing in the bill to proven
shipper Who is charged more than
fair rate from having his wrong right
ed and the rate reduced. There i
nothing to prevent railroad which i
allowed less than a fair rate for it
work from having that rate increase,
to an equitable figure. IT this much b
secured why should the bill not pass
1t more than this be asked why shoult
the Legislature not refuse it!